Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations, referred to as the Rome Convention. This convention is the first international neighboring rights convention jointly initiated by the International Labor Organization, UNESCO and the Berne Union and concluded in Rome on October 26, 1961. Its purpose is to provide international protection for performers, phonogram producers and broadcasting organizations of intellectual works without prejudice to the interests of the original author.
The full text of the convention consists of 34 articles. The main contents are: performers, phonogram producers and broadcasting organizations have the right to allow and prohibit others from recording, copying and rebroadcasting their performances, records (including phonograms) and broadcasting programs, and have the right to charge reasonable remuneration to users of the works, and the protection period is at least 20 years. It came into effect on May 18, 1964, and is one of the three international conventions for the protection of neighboring rights, along with the Phonogram Convention and the Satellite Convention. The Rome Convention ensures the protection of performers’ performances, phonograms of phonogram producers and broadcasting programs of broadcasting organizations.
The administration of the Convention is the joint responsibility of WIPO, ILO and UNESCO. The administration of the Convention is the joint responsibility of WIPO, ILO and UNESCO. The Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Committee established under this Convention is composed of representatives of these three organizations and 12 Contracting Parties. This Convention is open to States party to the Berne Convention or the Universal Copyright Convention. Instruments of ratification or accession must be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Countries may make reservations as to the application of certain provisions.
As of February 2016, there are 92 Contracting Parties to the Convention.